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Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut
As Beirut exploded with the bombs and violence of a ruthless civil war in the ’80s, a nine-year-old Salma Abdelnour and her family fled Lebanon to start a new life in the States. Ever since then—even as she built a thriving career as a food and travel writer in New York City—Salma has had a hunch that Beirut was still her home. She kept dreaming of moving back—and finally decided to do it.
But could she resume her life in Beirut, so many years after her family moved away? Could she, or anyone for that matter, ever really go home again?
Jasmine and Fire is Salma’s poignant and humorous journey of trying to resettle in Beirut and fumbling through the new realities of life in one of the world’s most complex, legendary, ever-vibrant, ever-troubled cities. What’s more, in a year of roiling changes around the Middle East and the rise of the Arab Spring, Salma found herself in the midst of the turmoil.
As she comes to grips with all the changes in her life—a love left behind in New York and new relationships blossoming in Beirut—Salma takes comfort in some of Lebanon’s enduring traditions, particularly its extraordinary food culture. Through the sights, sounds, and flavors of a city full of beauty, tragedy, despair, and hope, Salma slowly begins to reconnect with the place she’s longed for her entire life.
But could she resume her life in Beirut, so many years after her family moved away? Could she, or anyone for that matter, ever really go home again?
Jasmine and Fire is Salma’s poignant and humorous journey of trying to resettle in Beirut and fumbling through the new realities of life in one of the world’s most complex, legendary, ever-vibrant, ever-troubled cities. What’s more, in a year of roiling changes around the Middle East and the rise of the Arab Spring, Salma found herself in the midst of the turmoil.
As she comes to grips with all the changes in her life—a love left behind in New York and new relationships blossoming in Beirut—Salma takes comfort in some of Lebanon’s enduring traditions, particularly its extraordinary food culture. Through the sights, sounds, and flavors of a city full of beauty, tragedy, despair, and hope, Salma slowly begins to reconnect with the place she’s longed for her entire life.
328 pages, Paperback
First published May 8, 2012
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1106 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
May 4, 2012
This is an Amazon Vine book.
What a mish-mash.
I read to page 130 before this book solidified my thinking about bloggers who write books. They usually need to be very carefully edited and that doesn't happen enough of the time.
Too much description for every single thing from having coffee to walking down the street to going out at night. Description is welcome in a memoir/travelogue, to be sure, but not when everything mentioned explodes adjectives, including some that the author has made up such as "a small, divey Hamra bar" or "some hipstery bars in town." As well, there is no narrative focus for the reader to follow. The author does little more than wander through town, drink coffee, socialize in the evening with friends, write, and agonize over whether she'll ever find a place where she "belongs." That can make a wonderful reading, especially when set in an interesting location like Beirut. However, the lack of focus leaves the reader being jerked from subject to subject to subject and then back again, all in as many paragraphs. That is the pattern for the book and it left me feeling as if I was in a tornado.
Blogging well is one thing. Writing a lengthy book is another. A good editor can help the blogger learn how to make that transition gracefully. This poor author had no such help and since her professional writing experience is through magazine articles and the like, she is used to writing short pieces.
There are many well-written memoir/travelogues that would-be authors may be interested in reading to see how to tell a clear story while including information about many things. My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme; Come, Tell Me How You Live by Agatha Christie; The Flame Trees of Thika by Elspeth Huxley, and Madeleine L'Engle's Crosswicks Journals (A Circle of Quiet is my favorite) all come to mind. Perhaps the most helpful for this particular author (and more specifically the editor for Jasmine and Fire) would be the Crosswicks Journals. Each flows through time by the months and season, as Jasmine and Fire does, but the clarity of thought and communication are simply fantastic.
As I say, I put most of the blame for this lack of focus on the editor.
That doesn't make the book any easier to read. What a shame. It had great potential.
What a mish-mash.
I read to page 130 before this book solidified my thinking about bloggers who write books. They usually need to be very carefully edited and that doesn't happen enough of the time.
Too much description for every single thing from having coffee to walking down the street to going out at night. Description is welcome in a memoir/travelogue, to be sure, but not when everything mentioned explodes adjectives, including some that the author has made up such as "a small, divey Hamra bar" or "some hipstery bars in town." As well, there is no narrative focus for the reader to follow. The author does little more than wander through town, drink coffee, socialize in the evening with friends, write, and agonize over whether she'll ever find a place where she "belongs." That can make a wonderful reading, especially when set in an interesting location like Beirut. However, the lack of focus leaves the reader being jerked from subject to subject to subject and then back again, all in as many paragraphs. That is the pattern for the book and it left me feeling as if I was in a tornado.
Blogging well is one thing. Writing a lengthy book is another. A good editor can help the blogger learn how to make that transition gracefully. This poor author had no such help and since her professional writing experience is through magazine articles and the like, she is used to writing short pieces.
There are many well-written memoir/travelogues that would-be authors may be interested in reading to see how to tell a clear story while including information about many things. My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme; Come, Tell Me How You Live by Agatha Christie; The Flame Trees of Thika by Elspeth Huxley, and Madeleine L'Engle's Crosswicks Journals (A Circle of Quiet is my favorite) all come to mind. Perhaps the most helpful for this particular author (and more specifically the editor for Jasmine and Fire) would be the Crosswicks Journals. Each flows through time by the months and season, as Jasmine and Fire does, but the clarity of thought and communication are simply fantastic.
As I say, I put most of the blame for this lack of focus on the editor.
That doesn't make the book any easier to read. What a shame. It had great potential.
January 1, 2019
4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.
June 21, 2012
At first I wasn't sure I was going to like this because the author did a bit too much hemming and hawing at the outset, about where she wanted to be and whether her relationship with her boyfriend could be sustained long-distance. but once she got to Beirut, I got totally caught up in her narrative. She is a travel and food writer and those passages of her memoir--descriptions of her walks around Beirut and short trips to other parts of Lebanon, not to mention her descriptions of FOOD--are where she really shone. I had expected to get annoyed with her nagging question of whether her relationship with her NYC boyfriend would survive her year in Beirut, but the opposite happened. As she revealed little details about herself and him, I felt myself rooting for them. The thing I hate about this book, though, is that I thought I wanted to visit Lebanon before. I was wrong. I REALLY WANT TO VISIT LEBANON. But she provided a balm: the book includes recipes. I was so happy to discover that. The whole time I was reading I was thinking "she should write a cookbook and I should be her tester!" haha--now I'm free to test her recipes. And you bet I will.
January 9, 2013
For anyone who's uprooted themselves and moved to another city or another country, this book will resonate because it handles the primary issue we'd all face about where we consider 'Home'. How long does one need to live in a place before we feel at home in it and not an outsider? Does one need to be born in a place? Does one need to have family around before it's considered home?
This is a memoir of the year the author spent in Beirut, the city in which she was born and from which she and her family fled when she was a child. Now a successful journalist and food critic living in New York, she nonetheless doesn't feel she belongs anywhere. Yearning to capture the feeling she had living in Beirut as a child, she makes a decision to sublet her Manhattan apartment, maintain a long distance relationship with her boyfriend and move into her parents' apartment in Ras Beirut.
As she rekindles her relationship with family members and old friends in Beirut, she also rekindles her love affair with Lebanese food. Her food descriptions are lush and so detailed you can almost smell and taste the food she describes. Bakery specialties, old childhood favorites cooked by her aunts or mother's friends, festive food served during holidays and parties are all lovingly describe. We're treated to a avalanche of textures, color, flavors and aroma. Thankfully at the end of the book, she kindly shares some recipes of her favorite Lebanese dishes.
In addition to her own soul searching, she also shares Lebanese political history, the rich and colorful culture built on Christians, Shiite and Suni Muslims and others living shoulder to shoulder in Beirut, the at times indifference of the Lebanese government towards improving the country's infrastructure, the multi-cultural edge on which the Lebanese live, the Palestinian support and Israeli contempt from some quarters, and the strength of the Lebanese not to allow political unrest to stop them from enjoying life. Or perhaps it's the uncertainty of another war that motivates them to defiantly and boisterously celebrate life and each other.
The one thing that stood out though, was her rather frequent trips back to the US during her supposed year in Beirut. I wondered how her feelings for the city may have been different if she had to actually spend an entire year there without any opportunity to leave.
When I finished reading though, I was assailed with an incredible desire to seek out the nearest Lebanese restaurant.
This is a memoir of the year the author spent in Beirut, the city in which she was born and from which she and her family fled when she was a child. Now a successful journalist and food critic living in New York, she nonetheless doesn't feel she belongs anywhere. Yearning to capture the feeling she had living in Beirut as a child, she makes a decision to sublet her Manhattan apartment, maintain a long distance relationship with her boyfriend and move into her parents' apartment in Ras Beirut.
As she rekindles her relationship with family members and old friends in Beirut, she also rekindles her love affair with Lebanese food. Her food descriptions are lush and so detailed you can almost smell and taste the food she describes. Bakery specialties, old childhood favorites cooked by her aunts or mother's friends, festive food served during holidays and parties are all lovingly describe. We're treated to a avalanche of textures, color, flavors and aroma. Thankfully at the end of the book, she kindly shares some recipes of her favorite Lebanese dishes.
In addition to her own soul searching, she also shares Lebanese political history, the rich and colorful culture built on Christians, Shiite and Suni Muslims and others living shoulder to shoulder in Beirut, the at times indifference of the Lebanese government towards improving the country's infrastructure, the multi-cultural edge on which the Lebanese live, the Palestinian support and Israeli contempt from some quarters, and the strength of the Lebanese not to allow political unrest to stop them from enjoying life. Or perhaps it's the uncertainty of another war that motivates them to defiantly and boisterously celebrate life and each other.
The one thing that stood out though, was her rather frequent trips back to the US during her supposed year in Beirut. I wondered how her feelings for the city may have been different if she had to actually spend an entire year there without any opportunity to leave.
When I finished reading though, I was assailed with an incredible desire to seek out the nearest Lebanese restaurant.
August 7, 2012
Wellllll. I muddled through this book, and it took me almost a month to read after receiving it from Goodreads Giveaways. It wasn't a terrible book, but it certainly wasn't a good book.
I enjoyed it for the first quarter of the book. Salma is trying to discover what it means to be at home, by living in Beirut for a year (where she was born), after growing up in the States for most of her life. She balances her personal feelings, family, tourism, relationships, friendships, albeit perhaps not well.
And then it got old. There's no real reason that I can put my finger on, but I got so sick of her. She just started to rub me the wrong way.
I enjoyed it for the first quarter of the book. Salma is trying to discover what it means to be at home, by living in Beirut for a year (where she was born), after growing up in the States for most of her life. She balances her personal feelings, family, tourism, relationships, friendships, albeit perhaps not well.
And then it got old. There's no real reason that I can put my finger on, but I got so sick of her. She just started to rub me the wrong way.
June 5, 2012
Home is where your heart is, so the old saying goes. But what if, by virtue of fate and war, your heart is divided between a pair of cities in countries separated by oceans, continents and cultures? This is the question author Salma Abdelnour ponders with absorbing style and wistful grace in her new book, "Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut."
Born in the States to Lebanese parents, then raised while young in Beirut before civil war forced her family to return to America, Abdelnour always felt slightly out of place as a child in Houston, a student in Berkeley, and an adult in New York. Nonetheless, she forged an admirable career as a writer and editor in New York, including stints as travel editor of "Food & Wine" magazine, food editor of "O, The Oprah Magazine," and restaurant editor of "Time Out New York." Her writing has been featured in publications such as the "New York Times," "Food & Wine," "Travel + Leisure," and "ForbesLife," and she has appeared on travel and food segments for CNN, CNBC, and the Fine Living Network. And yet all the while, a piece of her heart always tugged at her from Lebanon. It made her wonder what she would feel if she were to leave New York and return to Beirut decades after her family fled the war -- not to return for a week or two as she had visiting family on vacations past, but to return to one of the world's most unpredictable cities and live there for an entire year. Would Beirut feel like the home, wherever and whatever that may be, from which she felt somewhat unmoored since she was a girl? Or would the incessantly chaotic but undeniably fascinating city be only a capricious Lothario unworthy of permanently harboring her heart? With the considerable courage required for an unmarried woman in her late thirties to live alone in a society long dominated by unrepentant male chauvinism, Abdelnour packed her bags and committed to a year of living, if not dangerously, at least cautiously, in Beirut between the summers of 2010 and 2011.
With eloquence, passion and a sharp eye for detail, Abdelnour explores the joys and turmoils of looking for home. "Jasmine and Fire" will certainly please fans of expert travel writing. True to the author's calling as a committed foodie, "Jasmine and Fire" will gratify food aficionados too -- at the book's end readers will discover classic recipes for a dozen tantalizing Middle Eastern dishes. Like the adventures and food she describes so intimately, "Jasmine and Fire" is a read worth savoring.
Born in the States to Lebanese parents, then raised while young in Beirut before civil war forced her family to return to America, Abdelnour always felt slightly out of place as a child in Houston, a student in Berkeley, and an adult in New York. Nonetheless, she forged an admirable career as a writer and editor in New York, including stints as travel editor of "Food & Wine" magazine, food editor of "O, The Oprah Magazine," and restaurant editor of "Time Out New York." Her writing has been featured in publications such as the "New York Times," "Food & Wine," "Travel + Leisure," and "ForbesLife," and she has appeared on travel and food segments for CNN, CNBC, and the Fine Living Network. And yet all the while, a piece of her heart always tugged at her from Lebanon. It made her wonder what she would feel if she were to leave New York and return to Beirut decades after her family fled the war -- not to return for a week or two as she had visiting family on vacations past, but to return to one of the world's most unpredictable cities and live there for an entire year. Would Beirut feel like the home, wherever and whatever that may be, from which she felt somewhat unmoored since she was a girl? Or would the incessantly chaotic but undeniably fascinating city be only a capricious Lothario unworthy of permanently harboring her heart? With the considerable courage required for an unmarried woman in her late thirties to live alone in a society long dominated by unrepentant male chauvinism, Abdelnour packed her bags and committed to a year of living, if not dangerously, at least cautiously, in Beirut between the summers of 2010 and 2011.
With eloquence, passion and a sharp eye for detail, Abdelnour explores the joys and turmoils of looking for home. "Jasmine and Fire" will certainly please fans of expert travel writing. True to the author's calling as a committed foodie, "Jasmine and Fire" will gratify food aficionados too -- at the book's end readers will discover classic recipes for a dozen tantalizing Middle Eastern dishes. Like the adventures and food she describes so intimately, "Jasmine and Fire" is a read worth savoring.
May 28, 2012
Salma Abdelnour is a travel and food writer so this memoir of her year back in Beirut is full of the sights, smells and tastes of this cosmopolitan city on the Mediterranean Sea. Beirut was her childhood home, but her family left during the civil war, and though she'd grown to love her life in America she still sometimes feels like an outsider there. Much of the memoir is a meditation on what home is, and Abdelnour wonders if she can feel at home again in the city she's longed for since she was forced to leave it as a child. Other than the occasional but regular civil or political unrest scares, her circumstances are close to ideal. She's able to live in the apartment she grew up in, she still has lots of family and friends around, and with her freelance writing work she's able to spend a lot of time exploring. For the most part it's interesting to read about her eclectic social life and her mouthwatering dining experiences. The narrative rambles sometimes, but it's charming and fascinating enough to make me want to visit Beirut for myself, and I'll certainly be trying out the delicious looking recipes at the back of the book.
July 3, 2012
"Jasmine and Fire" was not the fast paced read that I anticipated. Weighing it at only 302 pages, I planned on quickly moving the book from my to-be-read stack. Unfortunately for my time table, that did not happen as the book is best enjoyed in smaller bites. The writer shares way too much on the everydayness of her time in Beruit; my interest increased when she related the atmosphere during the Arab Spring. But, the writing quickly turned back to musings over her food. The goal of Abdelnour's year in Beruit - trying to determine whether the idea of "home" was her native land or her adopted land of the USA - is culturally interesting and by sharing the minutae of her days, she does show us that introspective journeys take time and the small happenings of daily life do play a role. Two poignant scenes are memorable: her thoughts upon visiting a refugee camp and touring the Mleeta Resistance Museum (a display of war weapons). I received a copy of this book through the Good Reads Giveaway program.
April 6, 2015
This is part of my "238 books in 238 days"-challenge. You can follow my progress here.
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It is difficult for me to try and review this objectively, because I was looking for a different kind of book. I wanted the author to discover her love for Lebanon, and then stay there and show the reader all the different sides of this fascinating country. Which is not a good assumption to make, because ultimately this is her life and not mine. And indeed, basically from the first page this turned out to be completely different than I had imagined.
Salma Abdelnour has made a great life for herself in New York, and it is only a slight sense of "not really belonging" that makes her want to go back to Beirut, to the place she and her family left when she was still a child. Before she leaves, she rekindles a relationship with an old friend, and this makes her reluctant to actually go on her journey.
Nevertheless, she's already got a place to stay (her old "small" family apartment) and she's got a job (she can do her work from wherever she wants) and she's told a lot of people that she's going, so she might as well go.
From the start, she seems very privileged to me. This should be expected (if she wasn't, she probably wouldn't have been able to make such an experiment), but it also means that she doesn't have to see the really bad places unless she actively seeks them out. On the plus side though, her well-connected status, command of the spoken languages and outgoing nature means that the reader gets to meet a lot of people with a lot of opinions. Throughout the book, Salma Abdelnour presents a very well-rounded picture of Lebanese history and modern-day Middle-Eastern politics.
Due to her meeting a lot of people, she gets to taste a lot of traditional dishes (and she cooks for herself as well). And with her being a travel and food editor, these are the best parts of the book. They're so good that they've made me hungry, and I'm glad that there are recipes in the back because I'm going to try them out after finishing this review :).
In the beginning, Salma Abdelnour seems very "American" to me. I can't really define what I mean by that, and this probably wouldn't be a helpful comment, were it not for the fact that she herself seems to realize it as well. When she describes something she encounters, it will usually come with a typical Western reference - the Gateway Arch in St Louis, some fast-foody-cheese thing, American movies. She even gives a running commentary on some events that feels like she's narrating a sitcom. When she walks the streets of Beirut, she will usually see something that reminds her of things that happened back in the USA, and they involve her partner more often than not.
When she does decide to go back to America (after a series of visits and returned visits), I felt like it was the right thing to do for her. And I also felt that I would have chosen the other option, and tried not go back so often. This is why it is difficult for me to rate and review this book; I am completely different from the author. And yet I can see that for what she did was exactly right. Which is an achievement in itself, and I hope that someday I will reach that point as well.
I will start contemplating that right after I've tried out one of the recipes in the book. Because, as I've mentioned already, this book made me HUNGRY.
--------------
It is difficult for me to try and review this objectively, because I was looking for a different kind of book. I wanted the author to discover her love for Lebanon, and then stay there and show the reader all the different sides of this fascinating country. Which is not a good assumption to make, because ultimately this is her life and not mine. And indeed, basically from the first page this turned out to be completely different than I had imagined.
Salma Abdelnour has made a great life for herself in New York, and it is only a slight sense of "not really belonging" that makes her want to go back to Beirut, to the place she and her family left when she was still a child. Before she leaves, she rekindles a relationship with an old friend, and this makes her reluctant to actually go on her journey.
Nevertheless, she's already got a place to stay (her old "small" family apartment) and she's got a job (she can do her work from wherever she wants) and she's told a lot of people that she's going, so she might as well go.
From the start, she seems very privileged to me. This should be expected (if she wasn't, she probably wouldn't have been able to make such an experiment), but it also means that she doesn't have to see the really bad places unless she actively seeks them out. On the plus side though, her well-connected status, command of the spoken languages and outgoing nature means that the reader gets to meet a lot of people with a lot of opinions. Throughout the book, Salma Abdelnour presents a very well-rounded picture of Lebanese history and modern-day Middle-Eastern politics.
Due to her meeting a lot of people, she gets to taste a lot of traditional dishes (and she cooks for herself as well). And with her being a travel and food editor, these are the best parts of the book. They're so good that they've made me hungry, and I'm glad that there are recipes in the back because I'm going to try them out after finishing this review :).
In the beginning, Salma Abdelnour seems very "American" to me. I can't really define what I mean by that, and this probably wouldn't be a helpful comment, were it not for the fact that she herself seems to realize it as well. When she describes something she encounters, it will usually come with a typical Western reference - the Gateway Arch in St Louis, some fast-foody-cheese thing, American movies. She even gives a running commentary on some events that feels like she's narrating a sitcom. When she walks the streets of Beirut, she will usually see something that reminds her of things that happened back in the USA, and they involve her partner more often than not.
When she does decide to go back to America (after a series of visits and returned visits), I felt like it was the right thing to do for her. And I also felt that I would have chosen the other option, and tried not go back so often. This is why it is difficult for me to rate and review this book; I am completely different from the author. And yet I can see that for what she did was exactly right. Which is an achievement in itself, and I hope that someday I will reach that point as well.
I will start contemplating that right after I've tried out one of the recipes in the book. Because, as I've mentioned already, this book made me HUNGRY.
July 8, 2012
I find myself in my middle age eager to learn about other cultures--the people, the food, the everydayness and also the history. "Jasmine and Fire: A Bittersweet Year in Beirut" was of particular interest to me because the author, Salma Abdelnour, is a very well-regarded food writer and editor. Her knowledge of subject and her rediscovered ties to her home city of Beirut, Lebanon, along with wonderful food passages make this book a pleasure for foodies like me. Bravely deciding to return to Beirut alone for a year and leaving behind the comfort of her daily world in New York City, the author takes us on the adventure of a lifetime. Having fled from the bombs and violence of Beirut as a child, and in spite of carving out a niche in the New York publishing industry, Salma Abdelnour still yearned to reconnect with her homeland. Her journey to find her roots is both revelatory and celebratory. As the title says, there is a touch of bitterness in the sweetly savored embrace of long-treasured memories. Reality can intrude upon dreams, mangling them beyond recognition--but only if you let it. The author inspires, delights, provokes thought, and offers insights into the ever turbulent city of Beirut and its surroundings. Those who know food and its place in family history also know that food is an integral piece of the puzzle of our lives. "Jasmine and Fire" is a worthwhile expedition into a culture and its food, all the while introducing its people. The tantalizing recipe section is a tempting bonus.
Review Copy Gratis Amazon Vine
Review Copy Gratis Amazon Vine
February 5, 2017
Book 4 of my Library Biography challenge.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I appreciate the idea of what the author was going for - taking a year of moving to her homeland, Beirut, Lebanon and recording her time spent there to decide whether she will move there full time or move back to the States. This account wasn't horrible, but there were some strange spots - sometimes the topics were choppy.
My problems with the book was mainly the way it was structured - I understand she was presenting her travels as a timeline on a monthly basis but I didn't get so much feeling from her presenting it as such. When Abdelnour talked about her discoveries of Beirut and the surrounding areas, I felt somewhat connected and interested.. but overall, I don't think she really ever committed herself to acutally having the possibility of living in Beirut. That's why the whole experience and writing came out flat for me.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I appreciate the idea of what the author was going for - taking a year of moving to her homeland, Beirut, Lebanon and recording her time spent there to decide whether she will move there full time or move back to the States. This account wasn't horrible, but there were some strange spots - sometimes the topics were choppy.
My problems with the book was mainly the way it was structured - I understand she was presenting her travels as a timeline on a monthly basis but I didn't get so much feeling from her presenting it as such. When Abdelnour talked about her discoveries of Beirut and the surrounding areas, I felt somewhat connected and interested.. but overall, I don't think she really ever committed herself to acutally having the possibility of living in Beirut. That's why the whole experience and writing came out flat for me.
May 4, 2012
I've been interested lately in reading more personal perspectives on life in the modern Middle East, even though I usually don't read memoirs much. This book comes as a much needed and very pleasant surprise.
Salma Abdelnour writes a poignant and sensitive account of her quest for home. Her reflections touch many of us who struggle with understanding the multicultural and diverse landscape we now live in.
Jasmine and Fire offers a vibrant, intelligently written narrative of this Lebanese-American author's attempt to live in Beirut again after many years in the U.S. Her childhood experiences, insecurities, and triumphs are interwoven with the smells and sights and memories she brought with her to her adopted home.
In this very well-written memoir, Abdelnour succeeds in bringing to life the questions that so many of us are asking. We have to dig deep into our souls for the answers.
Salma Abdelnour writes a poignant and sensitive account of her quest for home. Her reflections touch many of us who struggle with understanding the multicultural and diverse landscape we now live in.
Jasmine and Fire offers a vibrant, intelligently written narrative of this Lebanese-American author's attempt to live in Beirut again after many years in the U.S. Her childhood experiences, insecurities, and triumphs are interwoven with the smells and sights and memories she brought with her to her adopted home.
In this very well-written memoir, Abdelnour succeeds in bringing to life the questions that so many of us are asking. We have to dig deep into our souls for the answers.
August 30, 2013
Lovely book--author was born and spent her childhood in Lebanon, but her family left to escape the long civil war. Now, she's continually drawn by her homeland, but also still has family and boyfriend in the US. Much of the book describes her long walks, visits with family, food, always food, and how these things affect her choice of where to live. Lyrical, passionate, and made me very hungry. Recipes included at the end. :-)
June 12, 2012
This harrowing memoir had me on the edge of my seat. As someone who reads a variety of books -- many of them primarily about life in the Middle East -- the take on the conflict in Beirut had me riveted. The reflections that come towards the end of the book are my favorite part, by far. A strong work about a difficult time in Middle Eastern politics -- and life.
Read
December 8, 2012I was eager to be transported away and learn about Lebanon. I learned that the author eats pastries, lamb and chickpeas and goes to nightclubs with a plethora of relatives and just-met friends. Endless names, pastry crumbs and moaning about home and a difficult boyfriend. Too bad, Lebanon deserves more than food, strangers (to me), and awkwardly placed research about sites.
December 20, 2016
There was no true insight regarding her return to Lebanon and after a while, I really didn't care if she stayed or returned to the US. Her insecurities were annoying.
March 31, 2025
Jasmine and Fire is a non-fiction book chronicling Salma Abdelnour's return to Beirut, where she spent the first nine years of her life with her family, until a violent civil war caused them to flee to America. Now a food and travel writer living in New York, she decides to move back in an effort to rediscover her roots.
Salma muses on what it is to lose a place that feels like home, and what it means to feel peace in your surroundings and in your heart. She has a wonderful ability to describe the food, the places, and the pace of life in Beirut and the other cities she travels to. Jasmine and Fire took me through the chaotic streets of Beirut to places like the quietly rocky coastline in Amsheet. There is discussion of the shifting politics of the city, as well as the culture, from the generous hospitality of the Lebanese to laws and views that come with life in a sectarian city. She paints a colorful picture of the region and gives the reader what feels like a very inside look.
I found this book to be enlightening, but I wished it had been edited down much more. At times the writing dragged on for me and I found myself skimming and wishing the pace would pick up. I wanted to love it, then I settled for liking it, and basically concluded it was somewhere in the realm of ok-good.
Jasmine and Fire is a travelogue and reads a bit like a diary, which is both a great thing and a not-so-great thing at times. It's especially worth a read if you like traveling, want to crave dishes like tiss'ye and tea, and feel like taking a virtual tour of Beirut. Don't expect to be drawn into a story, and you'll be alright. As a bonus, there are recipes for many of the amazing dishes she describes at the end!
Salma muses on what it is to lose a place that feels like home, and what it means to feel peace in your surroundings and in your heart. She has a wonderful ability to describe the food, the places, and the pace of life in Beirut and the other cities she travels to. Jasmine and Fire took me through the chaotic streets of Beirut to places like the quietly rocky coastline in Amsheet. There is discussion of the shifting politics of the city, as well as the culture, from the generous hospitality of the Lebanese to laws and views that come with life in a sectarian city. She paints a colorful picture of the region and gives the reader what feels like a very inside look.
I found this book to be enlightening, but I wished it had been edited down much more. At times the writing dragged on for me and I found myself skimming and wishing the pace would pick up. I wanted to love it, then I settled for liking it, and basically concluded it was somewhere in the realm of ok-good.
Jasmine and Fire is a travelogue and reads a bit like a diary, which is both a great thing and a not-so-great thing at times. It's especially worth a read if you like traveling, want to crave dishes like tiss'ye and tea, and feel like taking a virtual tour of Beirut. Don't expect to be drawn into a story, and you'll be alright. As a bonus, there are recipes for many of the amazing dishes she describes at the end!
May 5, 2017
For one year, Salma leaves New York where she has a career as a successful food journalist, a steady boyfriend, and an established life. She sublets her apartment, packs her bags, travels to Lebanon, and moves into her family's apartment in Beirut. While she's there, she explore the sites, sounds, and tastes of her childhood. She gets reacquainted with family members and childhood friends; she also vividly details her love affair with Lebanese food. And, as a food writer, her descriptions of food are lush and positively drool-worthy - baked goods from all over the city, festive foods from holidays and countless parties. We are immersed in her retelling of the texture, flavors, colors, and aromas of what she's eating. Okay, you are forewarned: do not try to read this book on an empty stomach.
But beyond the food, this book will resonate with anyone who has ever uprooted themselves and moved to another country. Salma addresses how we define 'home.' When does somewhere you lay your head become 'home'? When are you no longer an outsider?
As someone who packed her bags and lived in Rome for thirteen months after I graduated from college, I can definitely say that Rome is home to me. Though I am not ethnically Italian, immersing myself in that life, that city, and all that food for over a year, I am definitely Italian by choice! And, when I think of Rome, I do get homesick.
I can see how Beirut and Lebanon were under Salma's skin, especially since she and her family were forced to flee the country. I'm grateful she took the year...and extremely thankful that she wrote about it.
But beyond the food, this book will resonate with anyone who has ever uprooted themselves and moved to another country. Salma addresses how we define 'home.' When does somewhere you lay your head become 'home'? When are you no longer an outsider?
As someone who packed her bags and lived in Rome for thirteen months after I graduated from college, I can definitely say that Rome is home to me. Though I am not ethnically Italian, immersing myself in that life, that city, and all that food for over a year, I am definitely Italian by choice! And, when I think of Rome, I do get homesick.
I can see how Beirut and Lebanon were under Salma's skin, especially since she and her family were forced to flee the country. I'm grateful she took the year...and extremely thankful that she wrote about it.
August 10, 2019
There was too much talk about food, I should have been prepared for this, the author, is apparently a food writer, but it was too much food for me. I did love, however, the picture she painted of Beruit, the bustling crazy, social city where things don’t always work as they should, but this could have been painted in one chapter, rather than many. I felt like I was reading the same thing over and over - “I walked here, the street was like this, the cafe was like that, I ate so and so, I miss New York but I love Beruit,” and then onto the next chapter that was kind of the same. The book did make me sympathetic to those who are torn between two countries - especially those that leave under the cloud of war and not really because they chose to or wanted to, - those that would have preferred to stay but for which they had seen that it was too dangerous, too unstable, unsafe and unpredictable. Often these people become “not exactly their new country and not exactly their old country” and exploring this did made the book interesting but all the details of what she ate took the edge even off that interesting aspect. Despite this, I still want to go to Beruit one day, having only seen Lebanon from the Syrian border (back when Syria was the stable one)
July 18, 2014
I'm a bit sad about this book. It could and should have been really good.
Why did I add it to my TBR list? I don't really remember but I suppose it had to do with the "What is home?" question the author tries to answer with this book. Having moved around a lot during the last years, both within my country and abroad, I can totally relate to this interrogation.
And as an icing on the cake, this book promised an interesting insight into the Lebanon country and culture.
Well I'm sorry to say that this book was a struggle. I did give it an honest try but what it needed was the desperate try! Well, I did finish it but it took me half a month (I'm usually a fast reader) what with getting so bored, I HAD to switch to something else or even fall asleep.
So, what went wrong?
Well, the main problem was probably that the book lacked a clear direction. While the home question popped from time to time it seemed to be mostly forgotten in between.
Basically, I think that out of the 150 first pages, you could probably remove 2/3 of those pages and still have a story that worked (better).
This reminds me of some class I had at university where we would write a computer program about the life of a hamster. Here is a simplified version of what I remember from that program (some may have been lost along the way, since I have yet to meet a hamster in need of programming).
The reason I mention this is because I'm pretty sure I could write a similar program for what the author is doing for at least 200 pages (although the author doesn't need anymore programming tan the hamster apparently).
My point here being that (a) those 150 first pages are just an endless repetition in whichever order strikes the author fancy (b) ultimately not much more (less?) interesting than my hamster friend.
I'm really grateful for Goodreads status updates which at least allowed me to vent my frustration.
This went something like that :
Fortunately, as you can see, the end was slightly more engaging (or maybe I was getting used to the nothingness).
Nevertheless, if you manage to get through the hundreds of repetitive pages, some things are to be appreciated:
- Discover Lebanon. I expected this to be the focus of the book, but it was a bit underdeveloped and drowned in the endless day-to-day ramble. The author still takes us to interesting places and gives a good feel of the Lebanese Life. The places seems very nice, but I think the description were not really up to the task. I often wished I could have some photo or drawing of the place visited, because I had trouble forming the picture in my mind from the description.
- Discover the Lebanese Dish. This is obviously the strongest plus of this book. The author being a food blogger knows how to describe the various dishes. She makes you wish you were there to taste it. However, the profusion of food introduced makes it a bit confusing. There are just so many that it's easy to loose track. I wished some list was provided and... HURRAH what did I find at the end of the book? Not just the list but the recipes. I will definitely try some of them.
- Some insight in the political situation of the Middle-East. Even though I'm not as ill acquainted as she seems to think her readers are, this is good food for thoughts especially given the current events happening nowadays. Some aspects however, were underdeveloped. I wanted to know more about te Arab Spring or the Palestinian Refugee Camps in Lebanon.
- The what's home question is interesting although it sometimes it seems more like a pretext for the endless walk-coffee-food-friends-party thing. And funny facts what I preferred on this subject was the final quote that the author dismisses as cheesy "self-help pep talk".
So sadly, this book had good points going for it but they were completely drowned by all the not-that-interesting day-to-day chit-chat.
Why did I add it to my TBR list? I don't really remember but I suppose it had to do with the "What is home?" question the author tries to answer with this book. Having moved around a lot during the last years, both within my country and abroad, I can totally relate to this interrogation.
And as an icing on the cake, this book promised an interesting insight into the Lebanon country and culture.
Well I'm sorry to say that this book was a struggle. I did give it an honest try but what it needed was the desperate try! Well, I did finish it but it took me half a month (I'm usually a fast reader) what with getting so bored, I HAD to switch to something else or even fall asleep.
So, what went wrong?
Well, the main problem was probably that the book lacked a clear direction. While the home question popped from time to time it seemed to be mostly forgotten in between.
Basically, I think that out of the 150 first pages, you could probably remove 2/3 of those pages and still have a story that worked (better).
This reminds me of some class I had at university where we would write a computer program about the life of a hamster. Here is a simplified version of what I remember from that program (some may have been lost along the way, since I have yet to meet a hamster in need of programming).
loop (do the following indefinitely) {
if manger is not used by other hamsters
then eat
if the wheel is not in use
then run in the wheel
if tired
then sleep
}
The reason I mention this is because I'm pretty sure I could write a similar program for what the author is doing for at least 200 pages (although the author doesn't need anymore programming tan the hamster apparently).
loop (do the following indefinitely) {
if bored
then stroll aimlessly around Beirut
if hungry (or if not)
then eat at 1, 2, 3 or n restaurant(s)
if invited (or not)
then meet family member/friend/friend of friend/friend of friend of friend of relative/just anyone
if whatever
then go for coffee (1 or multiple times)
}
My point here being that (a) those 150 first pages are just an endless repetition in whichever order strikes the author fancy (b) ultimately not much more (less?) interesting than my hamster friend.
I'm really grateful for Goodreads status updates which at least allowed me to vent my frustration.
This went something like that :
07/01 page 70 "I'm not sure... Is this going anywhere ?"
07/07 page 84 "Ok, so we strolled Beirut from north to south, from east to west and anything in-between. We've passed, new and dilapidated buildings, shops, restaurant, markets and whatnots, we ate about a thousand lebanese dish (which sound delicious I'm not denying that) and drunk a billion coffees... And we are still not going anywhere. Plus now I have a freshly squeezed orange juice craving!!!!"
07/08 page 104 "I thought it was finally getting interesting. But, no ! Still more walking around !"
07/10 page 134 "Nope, still nothing happening..."
07/14 page 150 "Alleluia something finally happened!"
07/16 page 187 "The Arab Spring saved me from boredom but I'm not sure for how long..."
07/17 page 205 "Finally nearing the end!"
Fortunately, as you can see, the end was slightly more engaging (or maybe I was getting used to the nothingness).
Nevertheless, if you manage to get through the hundreds of repetitive pages, some things are to be appreciated:
- Discover Lebanon. I expected this to be the focus of the book, but it was a bit underdeveloped and drowned in the endless day-to-day ramble. The author still takes us to interesting places and gives a good feel of the Lebanese Life. The places seems very nice, but I think the description were not really up to the task. I often wished I could have some photo or drawing of the place visited, because I had trouble forming the picture in my mind from the description.
- Discover the Lebanese Dish. This is obviously the strongest plus of this book. The author being a food blogger knows how to describe the various dishes. She makes you wish you were there to taste it. However, the profusion of food introduced makes it a bit confusing. There are just so many that it's easy to loose track. I wished some list was provided and... HURRAH what did I find at the end of the book? Not just the list but the recipes. I will definitely try some of them.
- Some insight in the political situation of the Middle-East. Even though I'm not as ill acquainted as she seems to think her readers are, this is good food for thoughts especially given the current events happening nowadays. Some aspects however, were underdeveloped. I wanted to know more about te Arab Spring or the Palestinian Refugee Camps in Lebanon.
- The what's home question is interesting although it sometimes it seems more like a pretext for the endless walk-coffee-food-friends-party thing. And funny facts what I preferred on this subject was the final quote that the author dismisses as cheesy "self-help pep talk".
In the world there are people who will ease your way and others who won’t. And you’ll ease the way for some and not for others. You’ll eventually forget about the ones who froze you out, and they’ll forget you. The world is for you and for the ones who roll out the carpet, even if it’s tattered. They’re scattered all over. And if you look carefully, they can help you find your way home, wherever you are..
So sadly, this book had good points going for it but they were completely drowned by all the not-that-interesting day-to-day chit-chat.
October 10, 2021
I read this book for research for a character and a possible future novel. It gave me a lot to think about.
This book, like much of the Lebanese culture, was heavily food-focused, which for someone recovering from an eating disorder isn't great. But the positivity and community around food helped put it in a good light and made it easy to read about. I actually want to try all of the food myself!
It didn't hit me as emotionally as most 5*s do, but it taught me a lot about the political tension in Lebanon and most of the Middle East. I'm so glad she ended up including the part about the Palestinian refugee camp. I was worried for a moment that she wouldn't. That section helped me to know more about these camps and it was nothing like what I imagined.
My one critique is that "spastic" and "schizophrenic" are not adjectives and using them as such is ableist as heck.
This book, like much of the Lebanese culture, was heavily food-focused, which for someone recovering from an eating disorder isn't great. But the positivity and community around food helped put it in a good light and made it easy to read about. I actually want to try all of the food myself!
It didn't hit me as emotionally as most 5*s do, but it taught me a lot about the political tension in Lebanon and most of the Middle East. I'm so glad she ended up including the part about the Palestinian refugee camp. I was worried for a moment that she wouldn't. That section helped me to know more about these camps and it was nothing like what I imagined.
My one critique is that "spastic" and "schizophrenic" are not adjectives and using them as such is ableist as heck.
January 11, 2021
Another one of those books that makes you want to see the Middle East, especially Lebanon and Egypt, and that in times of pandemic and lockdown would have been better not to read.
In the end, the story is nice and I really feel the author with her "not feeling at home" in either New York or Beirut.
Plus, the description of the food makes one atavistically hungry.
Un altro di quei libri che fanno venire voglia di vedere il Medio Oriente, in particolare il Libano e l'Egitto, e che in tempo di pandemia e con il lockdown sarebbe stato meglio non leggere.
A parte questo la storia é carina e l'autrice con il suo "non sentirsi a casa" né a New York né a Beirut, la capisco moltissimo.
Inoltre la descrizione delle cose da mangiare fa venire una fame atavica.
In the end, the story is nice and I really feel the author with her "not feeling at home" in either New York or Beirut.
Plus, the description of the food makes one atavistically hungry.
Un altro di quei libri che fanno venire voglia di vedere il Medio Oriente, in particolare il Libano e l'Egitto, e che in tempo di pandemia e con il lockdown sarebbe stato meglio non leggere.
A parte questo la storia é carina e l'autrice con il suo "non sentirsi a casa" né a New York né a Beirut, la capisco moltissimo.
Inoltre la descrizione delle cose da mangiare fa venire una fame atavica.
March 26, 2022
Since I spent some time in Lebanon I was interested in this book. Since I come from a big Lebanese family, I “get it!” It made laugh at so many of her observations. But she also did so with grace and kindness and showed the interesting parts of the culture. She touched on modern political and social issues and wove those issues into her story. The food part was wonderful, as food of so many cultures is center to the social and family life. It was great to have so many recipes described in the book. And the at the end, she kindly posted many of her favorite recipes. If anyone has an interest in more tolerant modern day Arab culture…this is a great read.
June 20, 2017
This was pretty entertaining. It made me eat and buy lamb and feed it to my husband and child. The main character was quite wealthy which afforded her a pretty desirable lifestyle of travel. It was nice to see someone from Texas not fitting into the perceived Texas stereotype. I enjoyed it. It's not a book that will cure cancer or launch a space shuttle but it's pleasant enough. She is a food critic so her descriptions of food made me want to branch out and try new things. Also in the age of fear over terrorism she painted a very reassuring picture of the middle east.
February 17, 2018
What makes a place home? Memories? Friendships? Love? These are the questions the author ponders as she moves back to Beirut for a year. She wonders if it is possible to make a life there and if she will ever really feel she belongs somewhere. While re-discovering the city she shares her journey with the reader. But while deeply personal, it also gives a sense of the place, history and culture.
I learned far more about Lebanon than I had previously known. There are also some mouth watering recipes included.
I learned far more about Lebanon than I had previously known. There are also some mouth watering recipes included.
May 27, 2017
While I could feel for Abelnour and her being unsure where she should finally live and had a hard time with this book. I had to leave it at times just so I could finish it. There was way to much repetition in the story telling. Yes, she is a food writer but good grief there was way to much about the meals and not enough about the country.
July 7, 2017
Very rambling and slightly whining.
November 24, 2017
More like 3,5* - too much repetition of some thoughts which was off-putting at times. But overall an interesting read.
August 15, 2018
This was more than 3 stars but not a hard core 4 Star so I rounded up. Loved reading about the culture in Beirut.
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October 10, 2019A bit slow to get into but a nice little insight into life in Beirut and the foods they eat there. Plus she included recipes in the back!
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